Petrol and diesel prices continued to rise for the second consecutive day in New Delhi and Mumbai after a gap of a day on September 5. While petrol prices rose to Rs 79.99 per litre (up by Rs 0.48 per litre) in the national capital, it increased to Rs 87.39 per litre (up by Rs 0.48 per litre) in Mumbai.

Diesel prices, on the other hand, increased by Rs 0.52 per litre (Rs 72.07 per litre) in Delhi and by Rs 0.55 per litre (Rs 76.51) in Mumbai today.

On Wednesday (September 5), the rates of petrol and diesel remained unchanged. Petrol was sold at a price of Rs 79.31 per litre in Delhi and at Rs 86.72 per litre in Mumbai. Diesel, on the other hand, was sold at a price of Rs 71.34 per litre in Delhi and Rs 75.74 per litre in Mumbai. Prior to September 5, the rates had increased for ten consecutive days.

On Thursday, however, petrol prices in both the areas yet again increased to Rs 79.51 and Rs 86.91 per litre respectively. Diesel prices too rose up to Rs 71.55 per litre and Rs 75.96 per litre.

NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar had earlier said the government need not respond to daily or weekly changes in the oil prices as they declined in July after showing northward movement a month ago.

“Weekly, daily or periodic changes in global oil and commodity prices are to be observed but don’t necessarily have to be responded. The prices rose in June but then declined in July. Is not it? Same situation may happen again, therefore policy cannot be a knee-jerk reaction to periodic events in the markets,” Kumar said.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram blamed the NDA government for the rise in petrol and diesel prices, saying it was happening due to “excessive taxes”.